WHEN Bluebirds striker Alan Lee joins up with his Irish teammates ahead of a crucial Euro 2004 qualifier against Russia this week, he'll make absolutely certain to keep his feet on the ground.

It's fair to say Lee will be desperate to avoid any slip-ups as, aiming to impress, he strides out on the Irish training pitches at Malahide.

The reason why the bustling front-man is so keen to mind his step in front of Ireland supremo Brian Kerr (pictured right) is because the first time he trained with the Ireland squad, he suffered a real new boy's humiliation.

He tripped over his own feet before he'd even reached the pitch!

"I just remember getting up again and being so red-faced," said Lee, who made his debut for Ireland in a friendly against Norway in Dublin earlier this summer.

"The time I tripped was before we played qualifying games in Georgia and Albania back in March.

"I have to admit I was as nervous as anything when Brian Kerr called me into the senior squad.

"I was a late replacement after Clinton Morrison, the Birmingham striker, broke a collarbone.

"I was really hoping to make a good impression, as anyone would, the first time you join up with your country like that.

"But I was that nervous, I fell over myself somehow and tripped myself up as I ran out onto the training pitch.

"I was mortified! But thankfully nobody really saw what had happened.

"And luckily, nobody really got a chance to give me a hard time about it.

"I was afraid that it was going to be one of those moments that would haunt me for the rest of my career.

"It isn't exactly the best impression to make, is it?

"But I've lived through that embarrassment and lived to tell the tale.

"But of course, now I know what to expect, the nerves have gone really.

"I certainly have not felt intimidated by the quality of the players around me when I've been involved with Ireland, although it is still a new thing for me."

While Lee is still falling over himself to play for Ireland, he's already found his feet at Cardiff City.

The powerful striker, born in Galway but brought up in the Dublin suburb of Ballybrack, is entering his third week as a Bluebird following a &#xA3;850,000 switch from Rotherham.

Lee, who can count Irish rugby hero Brian O'Driscoll among his friends, has made quite an impression on the Ninian Park faithful, not least by setting the ball rolling for a Bank Holiday romp over Derby County when his cross-cum-shot left Rams keeper Lee Grant flapping at thin air.

"Things are going pretty well for me here, and the two wins over the weekend sets us up really nicely," added 27-year-old Lee.

"I know from experience that this is a tough league to play in.

"But there are good players around me at Cardiff City, the club has so much ambition and the fans are fantastic."

But Lee's hopes for this lie in making an impact in another Celtic capital, Dublin.

Lee - sent off in Cardiff's match against Walsall yesterday - was left disappointed when having made his bow against Norway, he was subsequently overlooked for Ireland's recent friendly against Australia.

But first-choice front runner Robbie Keane has been laid low by an ankle ligament injury, throwing the door open for Lee to stand up, hopefully, and be counted.

"International football is where every footballer wants to be," added Lee, who is now realising the potential that prompted Aston Villa to snap him up as a 17-year-old.

"I have had to develop physically and mentally.

"It's only now, having found myself scoring regularly at Rotherham, and hopefully now Cardiff City, that I feel that I've got something to offer at international level."

Meanwhile Lee is hoping he'll be the catalyst for more Bluebirds stars to win over Kerr, and join him in the frame for Ireland.

Kerr was due to attend City's fixture with Walsall at the Bescot yesterday.

The Ireland manager also has plans to take a further look at Lee and his fellow Irish contenders, Graham Kavanagh, Willie Boland and Gareth Whalley.

"We all have a chance to impress, and it's good to know that Brian is taking the time to watch us," added Lee.